Dogs Playing With Dogs

[Agility Dogs]

For the record - I have worked long and hard to get my boy to a point where he is now comfortable around other dogs in most situations. The problems started when he was monstered as a young pup by another dog in a dog park - yes, my fault, I didn't know any better.

These days I'm not interested in having either of my dogs play with other dogs. A greeting is OK and I expect them to be polite to other dogs given that they are around others every day of the week, but I don't want them to play, I want them focussed on me.

BUT.........More and more lately I been wondering why is there this fixation with having dogs 'play' with each other? Why do you want your dog to play with other dogs the don't know and what is the benefit in it?

[Nekhbet]

it is important dogs learn canine behavior and body language from each other. Trick is to find well trained dogs to do it with, not the free for alls people tend to call dog parks that do more harm then good.

[poodlefan]

Depends on the dog. One of my dogs genuinely enjoys meeting and playing with well mannered strange dogs.

The others couldn't care less.

[megan_]

I let my dog play with dogs that I know. He LOVES it. Other dogs give him what I can't. It is part of being a healthy, happy dog IMO (assuming of course that the dog actually likes it).

[Monah]

I'll be interested to see this too. I feel the same as you. I must say, I cannot ever remember so much focus on 'play dates' etc. when I had dogs growing up, showing as well. Socialisation is a good thing, but I think we are going completely overboard with the play thing.

Ours get plenty of fun times with us, each other, cats and the odd dog that visits. I do love to see them run together.

Some breeds dont' seem to be at all interested anyway, our wolfies showed such a lack of interest in other dogs that it was embarrassing

[megan_]

I'll be interested to see this too. I feel the same as you. I must say, I cannot ever remember so much focus on 'play dates' etc. when I had dogs growing up, showing as well. Socialisation is a good thing, but I think we are going completely overboard with the play thing.

Ours get plenty of fun times with us, each other, cats and the odd dog that visits. I do love to see them run together.

Some breeds dont' seem to be at all interested anyway, our wolfies showed such a lack of interest in other dogs that it was embarrassing

I can understand if you have more than one dog, but what if you have only one? Would you never, every let your dog play with another?

[MonElite]

They look soooo happy doing it and it tickles our human emotions of providing happyness to someone or something we love.

[Jenni87]

I don't really have much experience with this kind of thing, but I love seeing our girl with other dogs.

That said, we don't let her just go and run around with strangers in the park and that kind of thing, I hear to many bad things on here and from friends experiences at different places to do that with her. Call me paranoid.

We take her out with us when/where ever we can and all our friends have dogs, she has known them since she was 16 weeks old. They don't play rough (though when she was a tiny pup she used to "beat them up") they mainly just play fetch and tug, even now she is nearly as big as them their play hasn't changed. All still respond to us when we call them and it's in a controlled environment at our houses.

I let her go and have "playdates" as often as I can, she gets the biggest grin and satisfied look on her face when she is around them and I just love seeing her so

[Jenni87]

They look soooo happy doing it and it tickles our human emotions of providing happyness to someone or something we love.

Pretty much!

[Agility Dogs]

I'll be interested to see this too. I feel the same as you. I must say, I cannot ever remember so much focus on 'play dates' etc. when I had dogs growing up, showing as well. Socialisation is a good thing, but I think we are going completely overboard with the play thing.

Ours get plenty of fun times with us, each other, cats and the odd dog that visits. I do love to see them run together.

Some breeds dont' seem to be at all interested anyway, our wolfies showed such a lack of interest in other dogs that it was embarrassing

I can understand if you have more than one dog, but what if you have only one? Would you never, every let your dog play with another?

I guess I just don't see the point. I don't ever let them off lead around other dogs - except each other - unless they are working and focussed on me. If I only had the one then s/he would get to greet and interact with other dogs at flyball and agility, but other than that I don't see any reason for them to play.

I'm not saying that it's not a good thing if that is what you want, I'm just trying to understand the mind set. For me, yes, I did want it when I first got my dogs, but I think that was more because I was anthromorphising than anything else. Again, I'M NOT SAYING EVERYONE IS LIKE THIS, but I am interested in other's rationale.

[W Sibs]

It depends...

Charlie likes meeting new dogs but he doesn't necessary want to play with them, it's as though he just want to say hello to them and that's enough for him. He likes playing with little puppies though... and once in a while he will play with other dogs, but most of the time, after meeting them, he is happy to leave them and continue on his way.

[Kavik]

I think it depends on:

1) The individual dog. Some enjoy playing with other dogs and some do not. Diesel enjoys meeting other dogs, having a sniff and occasionally a game (less often now he is getting a bit older, but he does still enjoy a romp and chase). Kaos is less interested in other dogs - he has his 'friends' and other dogs he can say hi to and run with, but he is not interested in 'playing' with other dogs and he dislikes other dogs trying to start a game with him.

2) What you plan on doing with the dog. If you are interested in competing in dog sports then you want your dog to tolerate and ignore other dogs and focus on you and the job at hand. You don't want aggression but you don't want the dog leaving the ring to play with friends either!

[Agility Dogs]

2) What you plan on doing with the dog. If you are interested in competing in dog sports then you want your dog to tolerate and ignore other dogs and focus on you and the job at hand. You don't want aggression but you don't want the dog leaving the ring to play with friends either!

I guess this is where my head is at.

[RubyStar]

They look soooo happy doing it and it tickles our human emotions of providing happyness to someone or something we love.

That's exactly right. It puts a smile on MY dial to see my dogs having fun. And yes, they ARE having fun. If they weren't, they wouldn't run around all excited with the other dogs. If they didn't enjoy it, I wouldn't do it. But I don't let them have free for alls with strange dogs, only with dogs I know.

I'm into dog sports too and definitely see the benefit of a dog who has eyes for its handler, but my dogs are pets first and foremost and I won't ever sacrifice their normal doggy activities such as a romp with other friendly dogs in the name of a sport. There's a time for work and there's a time for play, and I love the challenge of teaching that to my dogs. Just my opinion

[dee lee]

I'll be interested to see this too. I feel the same as you. I must say, I cannot ever remember so much focus on 'play dates' etc. when I had dogs growing up, showing as well. Socialisation is a good thing, but I think we are going completely overboard with the play thing.

Ours get plenty of fun times with us, each other, cats and the odd dog that visits. I do love to see them run together.

Some breeds dont' seem to be at all interested anyway, our wolfies showed such a lack of interest in other dogs that it was embarrassing

I know what you mean!

Honey is very antisocial at the park, its quite rare that she will play with another dog. Im constantly explaining that she thinks she is too much of a lady.

She gets ample opportunity, I just know now that she just doesnt like playing with other dogs .

[poodlefan]

A friend of mine is a canine masseuse. She says offlead play is possibly one of the best muscle conditioners for a dog. Howard loves to play and I love to watch him. I consider retaining his focus during agility training as a training issue.

Besides.. its great practice for strategic pairs.

Edited March 16, 2010 by poodlefan

[Mas1981]

They look soooo happy doing it and it tickles our human emotions of providing happyness to someone or something we love.

That's exactly right. It puts a smile on MY dial to see my dogs having fun. And yes, they ARE having fun. If they weren't, they wouldn't run around all excited with the other dogs. If they didn't enjoy it, I wouldn't do it. But I don't let them have free for alls with strange dogs, only with dogs I know.

I'm into dog sports too and definitely see the benefit of a dog who has eyes for its handler, but my dogs are pets first and foremost and I won't ever sacrifice their normal doggy activities such as a romp with other friendly dogs in the name of a sport. There's a time for work and there's a time for play, and I love the challenge of teaching that to my dogs. Just my opinion

I let my lab play with other people's dogs that I know, i dont just go off to the dog park and let him play with strange dogs, have had 2 bad experiences at dog parks and now i prefer not to visit them. My boy has a best friend and when they see one another their little faces light up, what can be better than that? Even if my dog never achieves anything at least I know he is happy. I am hoping that he can compete in obedience one day but if he is useless at it then so be it.

[Pollywaffle]

My boy just doesn't have time for that sort of thing; he's far too aloof for that sort of thing. Whereas my girl, she's just wants to play with anything and everything...might be an individual personality thing, as it is with humans?

[persephone]

Why do you want your dog to play with other dogs the don't know and what is the benefit in it?

What right do we have to deny our dogs the companionship and fun of being with their own species??

Dogs should have other dogs in their lives. Simple. They are dogs, and should associate with others.

Guess I see dogs differently.Perhaps I trained and placed too many dogs in almost solitary situations...

I do not enjoy being around dogs who have eyes only for me- I like dogs to be in a 'pack' - to run and roughhouse,and have each other for company

Like a lot of people could not countenance one budgie or canary in a cage- so I cannot be comfortable thinking of a single dog who never gets to race around with others, or lie and play 'footsies' with a friend... or share hole digging....

Play dates and dog parks were not around when I had dogs in the city.... they just ran around parks and attracted playmates that way To my memory, the dogs were never attacked or harassed by other dogs whilst running around in parks/beaches etc...

perhaps it was that dogs were not subject to all the restrictions they are now? perhaps dogs ad more chance to learn to be dogs naturally,and so were more socially adept?

I don't know........... it is something which interests and saddens me- dogs losing so many of their freedoms....

[Simply Grand]

I'm sure Saxon loooooves playing with other dogs. He is my only dog, none of my family have dogs and only a few friends do, and I work full time so he doesn't get to interact with dogs much unless I take him to the park.

So it's partly for the interaction, partly for the excercise - I walk him on lead for 30 mins a day (he's 8 months old) but he has so much energy that he can keep going with the playing for hours after that. He can also rest when he needs to while he's playing off leash, so he can burn off energy without me worrying that I'm over exercising him.

And thirdly coz it's fun for both of us. There are a lot of regulars at our dog park who he plays with and I feel comfortable with, and when new dogs are there he'll play with some and not with others, depending on how they both feel I guess. And nothing looks more joyous to me than dogs having fun!

I agree that not all dogs seem to want to play, and if yours doesn't want to I certainly don't think you need to explain that, but if they do enjoy it I think it has lots of benefits.

Edited March 16, 2010 by Saxonpup